Trinity Mirror and ITV: set us free to fight Google

Newspapers and TV want the competition authorities to cut them more slack to fight the unregulated challenge from the internet

GORDON BROWN has appeared before some tough audiences lately, but the gathering of dotcom entrepreneurs and advertising executives at the Google conference in Hertfordshire last Monday was not one of them.

Peppering his speech with buzzy terms like "empowerment" and boasting of Britain's "light touch regulatory system", the embattled prime minister was a surprise hit. "He really gets it," said one delegate.

A day later in London, Sly Bailey, the chief executive of Trinity Mirror, aired her frustrations before the House of Lords communications committee.

Rather than "light touch", she fears the newspaper industry is suffering from heavy-handed rules that could hasten its demise. "By the time the authorities wake up and realise the gravity of the situation it might be too late," she said.

Two weeks ago, Bailey reluctantly closed eight newspapers in Derby and Peterborough after deciding they could not be run profitably. A deal to sell them